Chin-rest forviolins



(No Model.)

. G. T. LAWRENCE.

GHIN REST FOR ('VIOLINS. I No. 275.672. Patented Apr. 10,1883.

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44m! f aw/ am UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. LAWRENCE, OF GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHIN-REST FOR VlOLlNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,672, dated April 10, 1883, Application filed November 2:), 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Franklin andStateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ohio- Rests for Violins, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in violin chin-rests.

It consists essentially of a plate, formed in the manner hereinafter described, adapted to bear lightly upon the violin tailpiece, being held to place against the violin proper and the tail-piece button by the elastic force of the material of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter fully set forth. The chin-rest is so formed that when in place itwill bear but lightly upon the tail-piece, but not at all upon the sounding-board, so that through it no resistance will be offered to vibration.

In my drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of the chin-rest as applied to a violin. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a violin, showing the rest in position.

Similar referenceletters in the drawings and specification refer to like parts in all figures.

Referring to the drawings, A is the violin, and B the chin rest in position. The rest is irregular in shape, and formed preferably of sheet metal. It is adapted to tit over the violin at the part where the chin of the performer without the chin-rest would bear on the sounding-board. The metal which composes the rest is preferably widest at the part a, which isintended,when the rest is in position, to bear directly upon the tail-piece D- The narrowest portion of the said rest is the part at, which is curved in an 8 form and padded or cushioned, so that when it bears upon the under side of the violin-body it will not scratch the surface of the same. The portion 0 of the chin-rest is bent in the ogee form, and it is adapted to receive the chin of the performer. A portion of it is bent downward to form the portion a intended to bear upon the tail-piece.

The part at is bent back and upward against U the upright portion 9 of the rest, and is thence curved outward toform a hook,c, which serves a hearing or hold to be fixed over th collar of the performer. In the upright portion 9 is formed a hole,f, located preferably to one side of the center, which is intended to fit over the button g, by which latter the chin -rest is held firmly against lateral motion.

In applying my chin-rest to place upon the violin I first slip the curved end (I under the back of the same, so that the holef will come opposite the button g. I now lift the rest upward and spring it until the arch in the upper portion of the said rest comes opposite to the tail-piece I), when it is released and finds its place at the same time that the openingf finds its place over the button g. The chinrest, when released, will so adjust itself to position that the edge surrounding the holef will bear against the under side of the said buttons shank and be,prevented from coming oti" by reason of the elastic force of the material of which said rest is composed.

I do not wish to confine myself to this exact form of chin-rest, as the vital points are to be found in the arrangemeutof the contactpoints, the holding-hook, and the manner in which the rest is held toposition on the violin.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A chin-rest for violins, formed, substantially as described, with a lower cushioned bearing, an upright portion provided with an opening to fit over the button 1, a curved portion provided for the chin and terminating to form the hearing part a, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the rest described, of the supporting or holding hook e, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of November, 1882.

GEORGE T. LAWRENUE.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. GRINNELL, F. DI. THOMPSON. 

